Computer problems trigger delays at CA DMV offices

SACRAMENTO, Calif. 
The computer network at the California Department of Motor Vehicles went down for several hours Tuesday, triggering delays as clerks at field offices throughout the state processed driver's licenses and registrations by hand.

DMV spokeswoman Jessica Gonzalez said the problem was fixed around noon Tuesday and state workers were catching up on the backlog created by network problem. She said field offices were anticipating a busy next few days as a result of rescheduled appointments and other delays from Tuesday.

Gonzalez encouraged the public to use the DMV's website as an alternative. The department administers nearly 24 million driver's licenses and 31.7 million vehicle registrations.

Adam Dondro, spokesman for the state technology agency, likened the problem to when a home or office experiences Internet connection problems and routers have to be reset.

He said state workers needed to identify the router that broke down, which disconnected DMV's computers from its network.

"We haven't been able to isolate it," Dondro said when the connection was still down. "It's somewhere between one of (the DMV) routers and either our technology router or a Verizon router. We've been kind of peeling the onion to try to figure out where it is and haven't been able to nail it down yet."

Dondro later identified the problem came from a state router.

He said a separate technology issue that impacted other state agencies has also been repaired. A circuit reconfiguration early Tuesday morning took down other state networks, including the Department of Consumer Affairs, he said.

"All systems in the state are back up and running, including DMV," he said.